Have you fallen victim to overpriced car insurance? Believe me when I say many consumers are feeling buyer’s remorse and feel like there’s no way out.
Lots of insurance companies contend for your insurance dollar, so it can be very hard to choose a company to discover the definitive best rates possible.
Smart consumers take time to compare prices at least once a year because rates trend upward over time. Even if you think you had the best deal on Caliber coverage two years ago there may be better deals available now. Don’t believe everything you read about car insurance on the web, but I’m going to show you some of the best ways to slash your car insurance rates.
How to Compare Car Insurance Quotes
There are several ways to shop for car insurance, but there is one way that is easier and takes less work. You could spend the better part of a day talking about coverages with local insurance agents in your area, or you can utilize online quotes to get pricing more quickly.
All the larger companies are enrolled in a marketplace that enables customers to only type in their quote data once, and every company returns a rated price for coverage. This prevents consumers from doing quote requests for each company.
To access this free quoting program, click here to open in new window.
The one downside to pricing coverage this way is you cannot specify the insurers you want to price. So if you want to choose specific insurance companies to compare, we have a listing of the cheapest car insurance companies in your area. Click here to view list.
However you get your quotes, compare identical coverage limits on every quote you get. If you are comparing different deductibles it’s impossible to determine the lowest rate for your Dodge Caliber. Quoting even small variations in insurance coverages can mean a large discrepancy in price. Just keep in mind that having more price comparisons helps locate the best price.
Don’t miss out on these money-saving discounts
Companies that sell car insurance don’t always publicize all available discounts in a way that’s easy to find, so we break down some of the more common and the harder-to-find car insurance savings.
- Distant Student – Any of your kids who attend school more than 100 miles from home and do not have a car can receive lower rates.
- Service Members Pay Less – Being on active duty in the military could mean lower rates.
- Accident Waiver – A few companies will forgive one accident before your rates go up so long as you haven’t had any claims for a set time period.
- Multiple Vehicles – Buying insurance for multiple vehicles on the same car insurance policy qualifies for this discount.
- Fewer Miles Equal More Savings – Low mileage vehicles can earn better rates on cars that stay parked.
- Safe Drivers – Insureds without accidents can get discounts for up to 45% lower rates on Caliber coverage than less cautious drivers.
As a disclaimer on discounts, some of the credits will not apply to the overall cost of the policy. Most only reduce the price of certain insurance coverages like medical payments or collision. Just because you may think adding up those discounts means a free policy, you won’t be that lucky.
To see a list of providers offering car insurance discounts, click this link.
Some factors that can determine what Dodge Caliber insurance costs
Smart consumers have a good feel for the factors that help determine the rates you pay for car insurance. Understanding what determines base rates allows you to make educated decisions that may reward you with much lower annual insurance costs.
The following are a few of the “ingredients” companies use to determine rates.
- Consolidate policies to earn discounts – Many car insurance companies give discounts to insureds who buy several policies from them such as combining an auto and homeowners policy. This can amount to ten or even up to twenty percent in some cases. Even if you’re getting this discount it’s in your best interest to shop around to confirm you are receiving the best rates possible. You may still find a better deal by insuring with multiple companies.
- High crash test scores lower rates – Vehicles with high crash test scores get lower rates. Safer cars have better occupant injury protection and lower injury rates means lower claim amounts and thus lower rates. If your Dodge scored better than an “acceptable” rating on the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety website or four stars on the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration website you are probably receiving a discount.
- Save money with special equipment – Owning a car with a theft deterrent system can save you a little every year. Theft prevention features like LoJack tracking devices, vehicle tamper alarm systems or GM’s OnStar system can help prevent car theft.
- Allowing your policy to lapse raises rates – Driving without insurance can get your license suspended and car insurance companies will penalize you for letting your insurance lapse. Not only will you pay more, but being ticketed for driving with no insurance can result in a revoked license or a big fine.You may then be required to prove you have insurance by filing a SR-22 with your state DMV.
- Liability coverage protects you – Liability coverage is the coverage that protects you if ever a jury decides you are liable for causing damage or personal injury in an accident. It provides legal defense coverage which can be incredibly expensive. This coverage is very inexpensive when compared with rates for comp and collision, so buy as much as you can afford.
- Being married is a good thing – Having a wife or husband can get you a discount on your car insurance policy. Having a significant other is viewed as being more responsible it has been statistically shown that married drivers get in fewer accidents.
- Don’t get talked into coverage you don’t need – There are a lot of add-on coverages that you can buy on your car insurance policy. Coverages for vanishing deductibles, towing coverage and additional equipment coverage may be wasting your money. They may seem like a good idea initially, but now you might not need them so eliminate them to save money.
Do I need special coverages?
When buying adequate coverage for your vehicles, there is no best way to insure your cars. Everyone’s situation is unique and your policy should reflect that. These are some specific questions can aid in determining whether you could use an agent’s help.
- Is my nanny covered when driving my vehicle?
- Is my Dodge Caliber covered for flood damage?
- What are no-fault laws?
- Am I covered when renting a car or should I buy coverage from the car rental agency?
- Am I covered when driving on a suspended license?
- Should I file a claim if it’s only slightly more than my deductible?
- Does my policy cover my teen driver if they drive my company car?
If you don’t know the answers to these questions but a few of them apply, then you may want to think about talking to an insurance agent. To find lower rates from a local agent, complete this form or go to this page to view a list of companies.
Save $462 a year? Really?
Car insurance companies such as State Farm, GEICO and Progressive constantly bombard you with ads on television and other media. They all seem to have a common claim about savings if you switch your policy. How do they all say the same thing? This is how they do it.
All the different companies are able to cherry pick for the type of customer that earns them a profit. An example of a driver they prefer could be over the age of 40, has no prior claims, and drives less than 7,500 miles a year. A driver who fits that profile will get very good rates and most likely will save a lot of money.
Potential insureds who are not a match for the “perfect” profile will have to pay higher rates and this can result in the customer not buying. Company advertisements say “drivers who switch” but not “drivers who get quotes” save money. That’s why insurance companies can confidently claim big savings. Because of the profiling, you need to get a wide range of price quotes. Because you never know which company will provide you with the cheapest rates.
Do the work, save more money
Cost effective Dodge Caliber insurance is available on the web and also from your neighborhood agents, so you should be comparing quotes from both to have the best selection. There are still a few companies who may not provide online quoting and most of the time these smaller companies sell through independent agents.
We just showed you some good ideas how to save on Dodge Caliber insurance. It’s most important to understand that the more you quote, the better chance you’ll have of finding lower rates. You may be surprised to find that the biggest savings come from some of the smallest insurance companies. Regional companies may often insure only within specific states and give getter rates than their larger competitors like Allstate, GEICO and Progressive.
